"We are the Churc!" a sermon for Pentecost Year A (5/24/26)

 

“I am the Church!

You are the Church!

We are the Church Together.

All who follow Jesus,

All around the world.

Yes, we’re the Church together!”

I can’t help but think of this refrain every Pentecost.  The song is a hymn from my days as a United Methodist.  A pastor even showed us hand gestures to go with the words.  Richard Avery’s hymn reminds us that the church is not about a building.  The church is about you and me, God’s people, coming together.

In its original context, Pentecost was a harvest festival.  Fifty days after the Passover, the people are called to bring the first fruits of their harvest and dedicate them to God.  Those fifty days are where we get Pentecost; pente meaning fifty and cost meaning days.  Leviticus 23 commands God’s people:

“Count seven full weeks from the morning after the Sabbath when you brought the sheaf as a Wave-Offering, fifty days until the morning of the seventh Sabbath.  Then present a new Grain-Offering to God. Bring from wherever you are living two loaves of bread made from four quarts of fine flour and baked with yeast as a Wave-Offering of the first ripe grain to God.’”

23:15-16 (MSG)

            The festival of Weeks, as it is called, is one of three high holy times.  All Jewish men, especially, are to be in Jerusalem to celebrate at the Temple.  This explains the presence of people from all places and languages during the festival.  So it is that the ingathering festival becomes a great outpouring with the coming of the Holy Spirit.

At Pentecost, the curse of the Tower of Babel is reversed (Genesis 11:1-9).  At Babel, humanity was divided into different languages.  At Pentecost those gathered understand the disciples in their own language.  God’s love transcends human divisions.  The good news of new and unending life in Jesus is for all people to hear!

Pentecost is the birthday of the Church for those who follow Jesus.  Today we celebrate the coming of God’s Holy Spirit and the varying gifts that Spirit brings.  As Paul reminds the followers of Jesus in Corinth, and you and me:

“Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits.  All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people!  The variety is wonderful:

wise counsel                     clear understanding

simple trust                     healing the sick

miraculous acts                 proclamation

distinguishing between spirits

tongues               interpretation of tongues.

All these gifts have a common origin, but are handed out one by one by the one Spirit of God.  He decides who gets what, and when.”

I Corinthians 12: 4-11 (MSG)

            You and I do not need to wait for the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is already here and dwells with us.  The Holy Spirit has already given us gifts with which we are to serve God and our neighbors.  What prevents us from using those gifts fully?  Maybe it is fear.  Perhaps we think that our gift is unimportant.

            Say you like to write notes or make phone calls.  Use that gift to reach out to someone who is going through a hard time.

            Maybe your gift is prayer.  Put that gift to work in praying for those on our prayer list.

Perhaps you like to cook or bake.  Use that gift to provide a meal or cookies for a neighbor.

            There are no small or unimportant gifts in God’s economy.  Just as God lavishly showers God’s love and mercy upon us, so God’s Spirit abundantly blesses us with gifts.  As we recommit ourselves to the Baptismal Covenant, let us recommit ourselves to using our varying gifts fully to the glory of God and in the service of our neighbors.